Netherlands

The Netherlands has
a very strong economy and has been playing a special role in the
European economy for many centuries. Since the 16th century, shipping,
fishing, trade, and banking have been leading sectors of the Dutch
economy. The Netherlands is one of the world's 10 leading exporting
countries. Foodstuffs form the largest industrial sector. Other major
industries include chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical, goods
and tourism.

Since the independence of Indonesia in the late 1940s, the Dutch economy
has been redirected from colonial trade to that with the European
nations. This led to the country becoming a major energy exporter as
large deposits of natural gas were discovered. The national government
has played a major role in the country's growth, especially through its
economic planning. The government's influence is great and it
distributes nearly half the Dutch national income. But also important in
the economic growth of The Netherlands are the activities of a number of
large private firms.